Roots before Branches
by writtenxlady
Summary: Sometimes I don't want to fear, but I forget the pain is real. NaruSaku


**Author's Note:** I didn't expect to write a NaruSaku story. 

Home, love, family

There was once a time,

I must have had them too…

Home, love, family,

I would never be complete until I find you

-Anastasia – Journey to the past.

Epilogue – It's a pity.

**Summary:** Sakura suddenly experiences a life for worst and for best. When Naruto comes back from three years of training with a 3 year old boy named Sato who has the same features as Naruto and Sakura, afterwards, as Naruto introduces Sato to Sakura, he starts calling them mom and dad. But as they grew together, Sakura realizes that Naruto has no feelings for her as he used to. How can Sakura bring Naruto back to falling in love again? Can Sato help Naruto remember his feelings for Sakura?

Sakura's point of view

It's not really the same anymore. Without Sasuke, and seeing him the very last time and he left. Knowing that he's never coming back is the thing that hurts the most, but I guess I was just stubborn enough to admit it. I was _desperately_ in need of love. I keep on wondering… _Why can't I find someone to love_?

My mother is always gone, always going to her flower shop with Ino. Naruto has been gone for three years, under training with Jiraiya, yet we haven't heard much from him. I'm growing tired of learning about medical techniques. It's so… _odd_. Without an annoying idiot yelling for me, asking me out on a date, pouting, or at least rejecting me for whatever I ask for.

It's not heaven on earth.

Tremendously, my heart has been breaking for years. I'm longing to see Sasuke again, but I'm in need to see Naruto more. I have so many questions running through my head. And I think it's bitchy of me to be self conceited. What can I say though? The writer told me to act this way, so I can't do anything but stay the same.

I know people change, I've changed. And my heart is so much larger now because of you Naruto.

I want to be in love with someone who really loves me for who I am.

With a soft sigh, I brushed my very short hair, and took off my pajamas. My eyes looks so drowsy like I'm about to faint. I went to the bathroom naked all the way, and I washed my face. Towards the shower, I could already hear my parents fighting about my future.

I don't like that.

"Sakura," my mom called out to me. I growled quietly in annoyance. I stopped brushing my breasts gracefully, and I opened the shower door. There I saw my mom standing, and her tears were falling down.

"Mommy… Are you okay?" My irritation faded away. I was concerned now; I haven't seen my mom like this for months.

"Your dad… He's going to war again…" my mother sobbed. I froze through the news and my body shivered, not because of the water I'm taking a bath with, but because of the fear that I'm sensing for my dad. He's going to war again, and he just came back last week. One of the most important men in my life are softly fading away… It's not fair!

"What…! Mom, did you talk to him about it?" I screamed.

"Yes. I couldn't stop him. Honey, please, work really hard with Hokage-sama."

I sighed as I found out that I was my mother's only hope. I looked through my milky skin then through the glass wall that I'm taking a shower on which reflected me. Reminiscing, I remember me walking home by myself and Naruto saw me.

He decided to take me home since it was night, dark and dangerous.

I looked down, and touched my body. I threw away my need of sexual connection and I nodded. (I don't really want to be that snobby, want bitchy me L )

I stared in the mirror, realizing that I have to get to work. I have to see Tsunade today; I heard that Lee got injured during his missions with Neji and Ten-Ten. At least their team is whole, mines is completely apart and incompatible. You know, if I only had _real friends_, I would've asked them to gather with me in a place where I could vent to them with all my might and I could, well, cry and we would get together and get a group hug.

I looked up to my mother once again, and I stared into her eyes…

"Yes mother."

Then she left.

After I finished my shower, I rushed out of the bathroom and searched for my bra. My phone rang just when I was about to lock my bra, but I didn't get the chance because I spun around and grabbed the phone. I flipped it, wanting to scream at it, but I realized that it was Naruto on the phone.

"Sakura…" he said quietly. "Tsunade wants to see you at her office, _now_."

"Naruto?"

"Uh… yeah?"

"Are you coming home?" I asked curiously.

"Unfortunately, I've no idea Sakura-chan, but I'll be back very soon now, believe it!"

"Okay I believe you. OH! Naru—"

"Sakura-chan, I have to go, I'll talk to you later, bye!"

I greeted everyone cheerfully and they all returned the favor. I was glad that everything was happy once in a while, because usually they wouldn't do anything to me at all. They would just stare at me like, I'm a weirdo and all that, then they would turn around then leave with a frown. I think it's really rude.

But I feel really sad for myself because it was my fault in the first place. It's not really a good thing since I've been so irritating, and loud. I have a huge forehead.

Yet I've changed, at least for a little bit. I don't follow my inner instincts and I follow my heart instead. That's what I know.

When I reached the office, I gave a little shout deep inside that I can do this. Even if I know that it'll be a while to change, and for Naruto to come back, I know that I should just give it my all. My hands motions towards the door knob and switches it open, then when I walked inside. There I saw Tsunade and Jiraiya having a little happy talk.

"What the hell happened just now?" I asked raising my eyebrow.

"Was it really necessary for you to walk? You could've just transported yourself to here, ya'know?"

I glared at Jiraiya. "I haven't been gone for three years Perverted-sennin, SO DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS VILLAGE."

The old hag stood up from his chair and he sighed. "You're right you're right. Go and check out on Naruto, he's at the nursery right now."

"Nursery; why in the world would that ragged old kid be at a nursery?" I asked, slowly promising the fact that Naruto has no responsibility for kids.

I heard Tsunade scoff and Jiraiya's eyebrow started to twitch. "You know, Naruto isn't what he was before."

"What? Why not?"

"I don't know why don't you just go and check him for yourself?"

I nodded and walked away, I was so confused, and who is Naruto taking care of? With a mental growl, I grabbed my cell out of my pocket and dialed Naruto's number. It took me at least, 3 rings until he answered.

"Sakura-chan," he greeted cheerfully.

"Nanikashira? Where are you?" I asked truthfully. Honestly, I even tilted my head on a side.

"I'm at the nursery taking care of Sato!"

"Sato? Who in the world is that Naruto?"

"I met him through a time warp. Just come here at the nursery, I'll explain everything when you get here."

When I got there, Naruto was holding a little boy's hand. He looked just like Naruto, except he had the exact same color as my eyes and almost about the same width as my forehead when I was little. He had a blonde hair and wide eyes just like Naruto though, it was so weird. It felt like he was my son or something.

But there stood a new Naruto, smiling to me like a goof, not grinning now but smiling. The little boy had a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Sato! Meet Sakura Haruno, she's the most known medic ninja here in Konoha!" Naruto said out loud, some other kids from the nursery turned their heads around and looked up at me.

The little boy ran up to me and hugged me as tight as he could. His arms were wrapped around my waist and my eyes widened at the surprise action. His head rested upon my skirt as if I was his mother and he smiled like Naruto when he was a little boy, then he started giggling.

"Mommy!" he cried to me and I froze. "I thought I lost you!"

That's when I stared at Naruto whose face was no longer a smile. His face turned into a _sorry, he was like that the whole time_ face and he motioned me to walk towards him. After that, I understood that he had a problem so I grabbed a smile, a fake smile and pulled away from Sato who had a very confused face afterwards.

"Honey, why don't you play with the little kids out there?" I said sweetly to the little boy. Sato nodded and smiled very big, and then he ran towards the little kids like he belonged to this village.

I walked towards Naruto who had a sweat drop on his face and his left arm hung loose at the back of his head and his band stood steady. Unlike before, he was wearing blue clothing instead of orange. It was unlikely, but he really looks cute. But I snapped my thoughts about because he doesn't look satisfied. I realized I had to flip the switch to be the normal _I'm going to kill you!_ Type of Sakura.

"So, why'd he call me mommy?" I asked, starting the conversation.

"Actually, I've no idea. He started calling me Daddy right after he saw me."

"How did this happen, exactly?"

"Uh," Naruto thought for a while. "It all started when I was training with Ero-sennin, I was trying to experiment a new move, but it turned to be time warp, so just as I decided to reverse my chakra a huge time hole appeared and I guess the time warp thing grabbed him. I found him on the floor later on just crying for his mom because he was trying to apologize about breaking a mirror with his baseball bat."

I justified my thought and tried to put everything together. "So why'd he call us mom and dad?"

Naruto scratched his head.

"Did you do something? Did you give him an amnesia and told him to call me and you mom and dad because you want another date with me?"

He frowned and he looked away. "Sakura-chan, you might get mad if I tell you this… But, it's not always about you, when it comes to me…"

I could have swore, my heart just sank right there.

"But, I was just curious enough to think, _why does he have the same features as the both of us_?" he asked me quietly.

"I don't know…" I said backing away. "Maybe his parents look just like you and me. He's an offspring that has the same genetics as his parent's right?"

Naruto's eyes were sensitive and he turned, sensing my sadness. "Sakura-chan, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings… I just… like someone else right now."

"No, no!" I smiled gleefully. "I don't mind. I just miss Sasuke." A lie, "And I love someone else right now anyway," the truth.

"Oh." Naruto smiled in relief. "That's good."

Then I sprang from my feet and transported myself back home. I waved at him, "bye…"

Suddenly, the environment changed to my light room. Bright and lonely, my tears started falling down from my face. I couldn't stand what Naruto just said, was I really that selfish? To think of only him and me?

I gave up. Naruto called me a few minutes later.

"Why'd you leave?"

I took all the courage to say something before I hung up. I said…

"I guess, I just had too many things to say."

"Ah." Naruto's voice turned normal. "So about that person you love… Do I know him a lot?"

I sighed quietly. I feel pity for myself.

"You have no idea Naruto."


End file.
